The Heart of This House

Follow the story of Andy Darden's younger sister and her relationship with Firehouse 51 and a certain Lieutenant. Naomi Darden is a surgical resident at Chicago Med but her heart is at Chicago's infamous Firehouse 51 where her family risks their lives every day. This is set across the entire Chicago franchise (so may turn into a PD/Med crossover)

Chapter 7 - Chinese Whispers

Nothing brought a smile to Naomi's face more than the cat calls she received walking up to Firehouse 51.
"Hot stuff in the house!" Cruz called from up a ladder where Truck was running drills.
She laughed at Hermann, who was already walking over to her, "Someone call the fire department…. Oh no wait."
"Who wants edible food?" Naomi gestured to the stack of boxes she was laden with, jangling her car keys as she did, "Hey Christopher." The older man kissed her cheek and took the boxes from her.
"How did you know it was Darden's turn to cook?" He turned back towards the firefighters that were walking towards them, "SHE HAS PIZZA, BOYS!"
The announcement was met with cheers from all around the house, "There's some baked goods in my trunk…" Otis and Cruz jostled one another to reach her first and then stood at attention with mock angelic expressions on their faces.
She dropped the keys into Cruz's waiting palm, "Those boxes stay closed until you reach the kitchen. I mean it, Joe."
He saluted her and ran out to her car, closely followed by Brian.
"There she is, my favourite girl!" Matt walked towards Naomi with open arms and she reached up to kiss his cheek.
"Don't let your fiancé hear you say that…" she cocked her head slightly, "…Or mine for that matter."
He draped his arm over her shoulder heavily and led her into the kitchen where the House was already tucking into the pizza.
"She got extra pepperoni," her brother called, to general murmurs of agreement although most voices were muffled by mouthfuls of cheese.
Naomi playfully punched his arm, "She is going to set your mother on you if you're not careful."
"Oh yeah," Andy raised his arms, jabbing at the air in front of his sister, Naomi held her hands in loose fists in front of his face, "You wanna go?"
"Careful there, Darden," Gabby called from her spot at the table, "She floored my brother last week and I bet she could still take you in those heels."
They were interrupted by the return of Joe and Brian, carrying the six containers of baking that she'd stayed up all night distracting herself with and she was suddenly swarmed by the entire house, fighting over the boxes. She wormed her way out of the crowd, clutching a small box of muffins, which she slid across the table to the paramedic.
"Double chocolate chip," she mouthed, tapping the side of her nose.
Gabby pointed at her, "You're an angel."

Kelly walked in from his office, closely followed by Chief Boden and the entire room fell silent; their gaze flicking between Severide and Naomi like a tennis match.
She nodded towards the counter that she'd covered in food, not betraying any emotion, "There's pizza… and brownies"
They both broke into huge grins at the mention of Kelly's favourite treat and he engulfed her in a bear hug, kissing the top of her head.
"Oh finally!" Andy cheered and the rest of the team followed suit.
Amid the cheers and general relief that filled the room, Naomi smiled up at Kelly, "Thanks for trying to cheer me up yesterday…"
"Trying?" Kelly's face filled with mock hurt.
He tried not to notice the purple rings under her eyes as she grimaced, "Harrison and I had a fight last night."
He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, "It'll be okay…"
"So when are you two announcing the engagement?" Casey said loudly, interrupting their quiet moment.
"God, you're like a bunch of washer women down at the river…" Naomi unwound herself from Kelly and noticed the grinning exchange between her brother and his two best friends, shaking her head, "Okay, you greedy gannets, I have to go… Call me the next time Andy has to cook and I'll save you all from indigestion!"
"Hey!"
She planted a kiss on Mouch's cheek as she walked back out towards the apparatus floor, "Keep an eye on this lot for me, Mouch!"
"Yes Ma'am…" he winked in reply, knowing that it would wind her up.
Naomi turned back to the boys, who were back to bickering over the last slice of pizza, "Andrew… walk me out?"

Normally, her brother would've made a sarcastic comment but there was an unmistakable sadness in Naomi's voice and he'd pretended not to notice her forced smile. He dropped the pizza slice and ran after his sister. She laced her arm tightly through his and rested her chin on his shoulder as he escorted her back to her car.
"So are you going to tell me what's wrong, or do I have to beat it out of Severide?" They walked slowly and deliberately.
Managing a sad smile, she dug her elbow into his side, "Don't beat up Kelly."
"Are you ever going to tell me why you guys were fighting?"
"Andrew…" There was always a subtle warning when she used his full name.
"I'm just saying, if you guys slept together…"
"Andy!"
"I'm kidding, Nim-bobs." He leant up against the hood of her car and she slotted in next to him, still clutching onto his arm, "So, are we going to ignore the empty finger or…"
She sucked in her breath, "We had a fight last night."
"And…"
"I'm still deciding."
He placed his head on top of hers, feeling suddenly very protective of his baby sister, "Can I give you some advice?"
"If I say no, are you going to give it to me anyway?"
"Bobs… I know that your relationship with Matt and Kelly always causes problems, but if you can find a way to work it out with Harrison, for what it's worth… He's not a bad guy. All he's done is try to make you happy."
She looked up at him, "I know, but I'm not sure if I'm ready for that life."
"What marriage, or…?"
"The society crap… I mean, get Kelly to show you the picture of my dress. The whole thing is just… I feel like I'm losing little bits of who I am with every compromise I make."
Andy kissed her temple and squeezed her a little tighter, "You'll figure it out. And whatever happens, I'm proud of you, yeah?"
Blushing, she hugged him back, "Alright you lazy ass, get back to work… We still on for dinner tomorrow night?"
"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss Mom's chicken pot pie for the world!" In the distance, she heard the alarm ring, followed by the sense of dread she felt every time they left on a call, Andy was already half way back across the driveway, "I gotta go, Bobs."
"Andy!" She called after him, "Stay Safe!"
He turned around, almost tripping over his feet as he ran backwards a few paces and raised his thumb up at her.
"Please…" She muttered, so that only she could hear.

Xxx

Unsure whether to let herself in or knock, Naomi hovered outside Harrison's house, her eyes fixed on the ornate brass knocker that she hated. She'd put the ring back on, for fear of losing it and was now turning it round and round anxiously. Before she could decide, however, the door opened and she almost jumped out of her skin.
"Naomi…" Harrison stood in the doorway, clearly surprised to see her.
She swallowed her nerves, "Hi Harrison. Can I come in?"
He hesitated for a moment, before pushing the door open further, "Do you want a coffee?"
Shaking her head, her eyes fell to her ring again.
"I'm going to have one; are you sure?"

Following him into the kitchen, she perched on one of the bar stools and watched him fuss about his coffee machine.
"Harrison, I …"
The mug clattered as he set it down, "No Naomi… If you're going to end this, I don't… I don't want to hear it."
She bit on her bottom lip, "Is that what you want me to do?"
"I don't know anymore, Naomi. When you walked out that door last night, I thought that it was it! I didn't think you were coming back."
"Okay…" she started to pull the ring off her finger, but stopped, "Harrison. I don't want to end this."
"You don't?"
"Of course not," She slid off the stool and walked over to him, "Last night got a little heated and I'm really sorry that I didn't tell you that I called Kelly. This is a lot for me, okay? I'm just a little overwhelmed and I needed somebody familiar..."
"I know I'm asking a lot of you with this wedding, but I need to be able to trust you…"
She placed her hand on his, "You can trust me, okay? I love you. I want to marry you. I know that my relationship with the boys is unconventional, but they brought me up. My parents were so busy working and they were all I had. I know Kelly can be an ass, but he's not the one that I want to be with. You are."

Harrison stared at her in stunned silence, before trapping her between his arms and the counter and crushing his lips to hers.
"Okay," he whispered, holding her tight and kissing her forehead, "If the wedding is too much, we can dial it back…"
"It's fine, I can handle the wedding," she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck and lightly kissing him, "On one condition…"

xxx

Naomi balanced an Apple and Raspberry Crumble as she turned her key to her parent's house, while Harrison stood back a few paces clutching to a bunch of flowers and bottle of scotch like they were a life line.
"Harrison, he's not going to be here." She reassured him, referring to Kelly, "He picked up an extra shift with Second Watch."
He nodded, "I'm going to try with him, I promise."
"I know," she nudged open the door and the air filled with the clatter of her nephews running down the stairs, "Baby steps."
"AUNTIE NOMI!" She just managed to place the glass dish on the hall table in time to catch Ben and Griffin in a hug.
"There's my two favourite boys! Oh my gosh, look at you… When did you get so tall?" She held both of their faces in her hands, before looking back up at her fiancé, "Ben, Griffin – you remember Harrison right?"
They both nodded shyly before running off into the house, "AUNTIE NOMI'S HERE!". Harrison was still standing awkwardly in the door, so Naomi took his arm and led him into the kitchen.
Her mom, Heather and Hallie were all standing in the kitchen, half a bottle of wine down already and they all straightened their spines a little as Harrison walked into the room behind Naomi.
"Ladies," he nodded towards Heather and Hallie, "Mrs Darden, thank you so much for having me. These are for you." He handed over the flowers, already charming his way into the situation. From Heather and Hallie's confused looks, Naomi could tell that their significant others had been gossiping.
"Oh wow, Harrison. Thank you…. I'll put these in some water. Naomi, your father is in the back."

Naomi stuck her head out of the back door to where her dad, brother and Matt were being all 'manly' and standing around the barbecue with a beer, "Hey Daddy!"
"Hiya sweetheart," Naomi was a serious Daddy's girl, probably because David Darden had been wrestling Andy, Matt and Kelly for years before she came along.
"What are we, chopped fish?" Andy called out, gesturing between himself and Matt, "Where's the royal…?" She quickly made a cut throat gesture and stepped out into the garden, closing the door behind her.
"You will all be nice; you will make him feel welcome and no one will mention Kelly. Am I clear?" Naomi pointed at all three of them threateningly, before sidling over to her father and kissing his cheek, "I bought Crumble."
"Apple and Raspberry?"
"Daddy, would I dream of making anything else?" Andy raised his eyebrow and took a swig of his beer. On her way back to the house, he caught his sister's wrist, "I take it you're still getting married."
She glared at him, before cracking into her signature 'I need something' smile, "Just be nice, please."

By the time Naomi made it back to the kitchen, her mother had put a beer in her fiancé's hand and was rooting around in the cupboards for a vase for the flowers he'd bought her. She kissed Harrison's cheek, "Hey honey, the boys are all outside if you want to go join them."
Thankfully, he put up no argument and the moment the door closed, Naomi turned to her mother with a pleading look on her face, "Please pour me a glass of that right now."
Hallie prodded her with her toe, "So the wedding's back on?"
Naomi's face crinkled with shushing noises and Naomi's mother nearly dropped the glass she was holding, "You called off the wedding?!"
"No, no…" Naomi cringed, jumping up and quickly taking the glass from her mom, "Harrison and I just had a bit of a fight, but we've figured everything out now."
"Lord Naomi, you can't go scaring me like that." Charlotte Darden fanned herself and picked up the vase to go stick in the front room.
"Believe me Mom that's the last thing I wanna do…" Naomi called after her mother before turning to her sister in law and Matt's fiancé, "Hallie!"

"I'm sorry Naomi, Matt said that you weren't wearing your ring at the firehouse yesterday and Andy told them all you were going to call it off…" Hallie looked genuinely apologetic and Heather stayed quiet, sipping her wine. Naomi joined them around the kitchen table and glared out the window at her brother.
"God, my life is like a game of Chinese Whispers; I am going to kill your husband," she warned Heather, who raised her glass, smiling.
"Not if I get there first, apparently he wants to move to Squad."
Naomi frowned, it was bad enough having Kelly on Squad but her brother too? She'd give him hell for that later. Heather looked genuinely scared so Naomi played it down, "Yeah, like Kelly would ever let that happen,"
The girls lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, until Hallie broke the tension, "How did your dress fitting go?"
Naomi groaned and downed half her glass, "It was an absolute nightmare."

Xxx

Matt and Hallie had excused themselves hours ago; Heather and Andy had taken the boys home to bed so Naomi and Harrison were left with her parents. She got a little fidgety when her dad had called Harrison into his study to 'try the scotch' but her mother just lay a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Just let him sweetheart. Your dad really wants to get to know Harrison."
She nodded and kicked her shoes off, tucking her feet under her. Her mom handed her a cup of tea and she settled in, trying to resist the urge to hang outside her father's office.
"Stop worrying, Naomi. Now why didn't you tell me that you and Harrison were having some troubles?"
Sighing, Naomi tried to hide behind her cup of tea, but her mother gave her an expectant look, "We're not having troubles, Mom. We just got into a fight and… you know how it always is with Kelly."
"Naomi… I know he's your brother's best friend, but you don't owe Kelly Severide anything..."
"Mom…" Naomi interrupted
"No, sweetheart, how many relationships is he going to ruin for you because he can't have you for himself?"
"It's not like that and you know it. He's bailed me out and been there for me so many times… He's our family, Mom."
"Okay, just don't let him spoil this for you."
Naomi reached over and squeezed her mother's hand, "He's not spoiling anything, Mom."
The entire Darden house was filled with pictures, from her parents first date all the way up to their most recent vacation. Christmases, birthdays, graduations, proms, weddings, summer barbecues, the kids' first day at school, Naomi's mother took pictures of everything and rearranged her walls almost weekly. Naomi smiled as her gaze fell upon the picture of her parent's wedding, "Hey Mom, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it sweetheart?"

"Will you make my wedding dress for me?"

Naomi's mother burst into tears.

A.N. Sorry folks, we're not rid of Harrison yet. He's still got some important things to do in the next few chapters.
We've had a lot of Naomi and Kelly in this story so far, so I thought it was time to explore her relationship with her family a little more, especially as we're coming up to the TV timeline.

I've really enjoyed getting back into this story so I'd really appreciate it if you let me know what you think.

All my love,

~C.I

xxx